Share & Save

Show, then tell.

What you can do

Help your child learn how to do a new or challenging task first by showing her how to do it. Then practice doing it together, and gradually shift to supervising your child doing it on her own.

If possible, take a picture of the end result so your child can refer to the photograph when trying to complete the task on her own. Remember to praise your child along the way.

What you can say

“Sofia, we need to put your puzzle away before we take out your play-dough. Watch how I put all the pieces of the puzzle into the box.”

“Remember how we worked together yesterday to put the puzzle away? I need your help putting the pieces into the box. You’re doing a great job helping put your puzzle away.”

“Remember how you’ve been helping me put the puzzle away every day this week? I’m going to help you get started. I’ll come back in a few minutes to see how you’re doing. Call me if you need help. Super job! You did it all by yourself.”

Why this will help

All young children are learning new skills all the time. They need different amounts of support along the way. Young kids with learning and attention issues often need more support, more time and more practice to achieve a successful outcome. They can become easily frustrated, get anxious and give up before a task is completed.

By doing the task with your child, you’re providing immediate feedback and support as well as showing how to successfully complete the task. With practice, these steps should lead to your child being able to complete the task on her own.

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